Is a No Layoff Policy Really Wise?: “I think a ‘no layoff from lean improvements’ policy is acceptable and necessary, but a fundamental ‘no layoff for any reason’ policy is a bit disingenuous and downright dangerous.”

Accountability Wins… For Now: “Yes this will be painful, as the markets clearly told us after the vote. But creating a perception that there’s no accountability for poor leadership and even worse management will be even more painful in the long run.”

Fun With Statistics, Carbon Footprint Edition: “Most of us know by now that the carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are created when a product is created, shipped, stored, and eventually used. But is it a reliable gauge?”

Gemba Panta Rei

Jedi Kaizen: Is the Force with You?: “Somewhat cryptically and in unusually clear language, jedi master Yoda said, ‘You will find only what you bring in.’ As in any endeavor, what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.”

Kaizen and the Way of the Ninja: “The young ninja was taught to leap tall buildings by first jumping over a sprouting seedling. Easy, sign me up for ninja school, you might say. Well, each day this seedling grew taller until one day the ninja master required that you leapt over the giant spruce.”

The Hard Sell for Cells: “Cells and flow lines are superior to disconnected processes, even with these disconnected processes are individually technically superior. The reason is that the connection of processes removes work in process inventory and other delays, resulting in shorter lead-times and improved on-time delivery.”

Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog

Motivate or Eliminate De-Motivation: “The danger is not in calling things motivation. The danger is so many managers think in a theory x way. That is the attitude that needs to change.”

CEOs Plundering Corporate Coffers: “I must say I am amazed at how brazenly those participating in looting companies from within are; and how it is accepted. It is a shame such unethical behavior is tolerated.”

Better Meetings: “Meetings are perennial problems. People sit through meetings and then complain about how big a waste of time it was. Here are a couple very simple tips to try and actually improve (instead of just agreeing that meetings are wasteful, but doing nothing to improve).”

Righter Incentivization: “Using extrinsic motivation less badly is possible but the correct answer is just don’t do it.”

Explaining Lean at a Bar: “The bartender asked what we do and I got the job of explaining. I told her we apply methods from Toyota, called “Lean,” for improving quality and efficiency in hospitals. She asked some questions and I tried relating it to her job.”

To keep track of what we’re up to here on LSS Academy please consider subscribing to our full feed RSS. You can also subscribe by email and have new articles sent directly to your inbox. Finally, you can follow us on Twitter along with a number of other lean and six sigma bloggers.